Cloud minnows

[StripyMagicDragon]

Hey, just looking for some advice.

Last year we had bought an aquarium and inherited 4 gold cloud minnows. Today, one has sadly died, they are all roughly 6 years old.
My question is should I get another minnow to keep up numbers, or are 3 enough? The remaining minnows seem happy enough, and while I dont want them being lonely, the aquarium was originally bought for other fish. We just didn't want the minnows to be flushed as it seems cruel.
Any advice is appreciated, thank you!

If you don't want to keep them permanently then I'd just keep the three. Ideally they should be in groups of 6+ but if you got another three then they'd probably be less than a year old and you'd have to keep replacing the older members of the shoal as they snuffed it. You'd end up with minnows forever! If they are 6 years old then they are fairly elderly anyway.

How big is the aquarium? What fish were you planning on keeping? I'm just being nosy now

It's a 12 gallon tank, originally bought to rehouse my betta. I then got another 12 gall

It's a 12 gallon tank, originally bought to rehouse my betta. I then got another 12 gallon off freecycle for him.
Then I have my 5 foot tank for my other fishes. I only intended on two tanks, but have ended up with three cos I felt bad for geriatric minnows lol.
I've never kept them before so thought Id ask advice. I'm going to keep the minnow tank after they've all died as a spare or isolation tank.

Sorry for the giant ramble!

And thank you for the advice, I don't want a constant minnow presence sadly.

Ooh, multiple tanks Your plan sounds pretty good.

I was only meant to have the one lol, but I end up adopting fish from people who get bored of them or don't want them.
I am strangely attached to some of the fish, I swear my betta recognises me. I may be insane though.

No you're not insane! My betta definitely used to recognise me. Other people who used to feed him never got the special little dance that I got. I miss him (sadly he is in the great tank in the sky now)

Whereabouts are you? You might be able to find someone who will add your guys to their shoal. If not I'd just let them live out their days in peace. I have two lone survivors I adopted too, they seem quite happy together in with my goldies.

There was a study once that reckoned goldfish could tell people apart- I think there's something in it, my goldfish were never that bothered about DH because he didn't feed them. Fish have quite good eyesight so maybe your betta does recognise you.

Thank you both for reassuring me I'm not insane :)

I'm in Scotland, I think I'll let them live out their time in peace. I would put them in my community tank, but think they might get nippy and stress out my slower fish. They are quite nice looking though, very active wee things!

Thanks for all the advice :)